2017 Al Fresco Outdoor Dining

by Amanda on August 7, 2017

For the past eleven years, I have suggested that you (our loyal Chicago Home Partner family!) grab some friends, pack up the stroller, leash up your pups and get outside to enjoy some of the best al fresco dining that Chicago has to offer.

Over the years, we have tried to provide you with our favorite destinations whether Northside, Southside, Westside or The Loop. Regardless of cuisine or location, we have strived to provide you with the best of the best, year after year. That’s why this year we’ve searched through our archives, added in some new & are pleased to announce… The Chicago Home Partner Top 10Al Fresco Restaurants!

This special 11th Edition of the Al Fresco Dining Guide is available online at www.ChicagoHomePartner.com/dining with Team CHP commentary, links to Yelp review pages and which meal is best served at the establishment. Where this list may be FAR from complete, you’re sure to find a new spot you haven’t tried yet that may quickly become a favorite.

It’s been hit or miss this year so remember that these warmer days be gone before we know it. Get on out there and share your favorites on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/ChicagoHomePartner.

Southport Corridor continues to receive exciting dining additions to its growing lineup. The latest big opening comes courtesy of 4 Star Restaurant Group, which is building a mini empire in the neighborhood. Ella Elli has seduced diners with a sleek and intimate setting along with a globally-inspired menu. Out on the patio, the chic aesthetic plus pastas, pizzas, and glasses of bubbles make for a cozy date night.

Diana Dávila is off to a hot start at her new restaurant, dazzling both diners and critics. An outdoor patio doubles the seating of the small space and allows more guests to try the talented chef’s creative takes on Mexican favorites and regional specialties. So far, standout dishes include beef tongue with peanut butter salsa, enchiladas potosinas, and cactus stew.

Tacos on patios are all the rage and Adolfo Garcia and Phil Stefani’s new taqueria is aiming to be Lincoln Park’s most sizzling attraction this summer. Guests can bring their favorite four-legged friends outside (it’s dog-friendly) and lounge the day away with kegged margaritas and fried chicken tacos.

Chicagoans have already been enjoying the spacious 6,000-square-foot patio at Park & Field since it debuted over the winter but soon they’ll be able to do so without huddling around the fire pits. In keeping with the old-timey vintage gym theme, guests can also play bocce on the outdoor courts.

Wicker Park residents now have another trendy rooftop to lay out and relax on. Cabana Club, situated atop The Hollander, has just opened its 160-seat deck on the sixth floor for the season. Although the club’s pool is only for hotel guests, everyone is free to grab a seat at one of the surrounding chairs, couches, and tables. Rounding out the experience is a 180-degree view of the skyline, Mexican-inspired fare, and plenty of booze (of course).

Pizzerias are a dime a dozen in Chicago but this newcomer is in a class of its own. The pies are baked for three-and-a-half minutes to produce a thin and crispy crust that’s neither Neapolitan nor New York-style. It provides the base for toppings like littleneck clams, which are typically an East Coast specialty. When summer arrives, even deep dish purists won’t be able to argue against a Bebu slice and a glass of wine outside on the patio.

The Talbott Hotel has just completed extensive renovations and reopened. Guests will find a brand new restaurant on the ground floor, aptly-named after the historic Gold Coast building’s address. It’ll be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner so guests can enjoy modern American plates on the patio all day long.

Chicago is certainly a drinking town and there’s little reason to ever settle for anything less than the finest. Craft beerheads should be delighted by Centennial, a bi-level gastropub in River North that delivers more than 50 brews on tap and elevated bar food like smoked kielbasa and confit pork shank. For those who are sick of PBR and dry burgers, hop over for lunch or dinner on the patio and discover a new favorite beer.

Punk rock meets nonna’s red sauce favorites at this Italian pub. Sure, pastas and chicken parm are aplenty in Chicago but no place has quite the same pizzazz as Bar Lupo, where guests can jam out to the Velvet Underground and saber bottles of champagne. On a warm evening, spend happy hour on the front patio and indulge in $5 spritzes.

Vertical Sky Lounge is no more but a new urban oasis has sprung up in its place. The redesigned Dana Hotel & Spa rooftop now sports comfy couches, carpet-like turf, and green shrubbery to help guests escape the bustle of the city. The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group’s Benjamin Schiller heads the serious beverage program, which includes a $15,000 bottle of Pappy Van Winkle.